Finding Happiness
by Kristen3
Summary: Daphne wants her daughter to take ballet lessons, but that isn't exactly what the little girl wants. Can Daphne understand that a child's happiness is sometimes more important than a parent's desire? One-shot that got split.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** I've been working on this for the past few days. It went in a completely different direction than I'd planned, but I like it!

Daphne did a double-take when she saw the flier. She was just leaving Cafe Nervosa, after spending an afternoon of 'girl talk' with Roz. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a poster advertising ballet lessons. In a flash, she remembered when she was a little girl. Growing up, she'd spent countless hours practicing dance steps with her brother Billy. Time and again, she'd begged for actual dance lessons, but there was never money.

Now, though, she and Niles were happily married. Money was no longer an issue, a fact for which Daphne was deeply grateful. Not only that, but they were parents of two wonderful kids, David and Lily. David had many of his father's traits, such as intelligence and a love for books and classical music. But, he did enjoy watching sports now and then with his grandfather. Lily, meanwhile, was a bit more like the Moon boys.

But suddenly, the image in Daphne's mind was completely different. She'd never had the chance to slip on a tutu and dance on a real stage. But Lily could. Daphne could hardly wait to get home to Niles and the children.

Daphne came through the front door, thrilled to be home and to see her family. David looked up when he saw her enter. "Hi, Mom. How's Aunt Roz?"

"About the same," Daphne said, shrugging. "She's feeling lonely. I told her to hold out for a man who loves her like your father loves me."

Upon hearing her comment, Niles came over and kissed her for a long moment. "Welcome home, my love," he whispered when the kiss finally ended.

Daphne smiled. "I love spending time with Roz, but I couldn't wait to come home to me family."

Niles could tell his wife was excited. She seemed nearly ready to burst. "Daphne, what's going on?"

"Well, as I was walking out of the cafe, I saw a flier there in the window. It seems there's a new dance studio opening, and they're offering ballet lessons!"

"That's wonderful," Niles said. He loved Daphne's enthusiasm. It was one of the traits that drew him to her long ago, back when she was his father's healthcare worker.

Daphne nodded, walking over to where Lily sat on the floor, playing with one of David's old toy trucks. "How would you like to wear a tutu and dance on a stage? You'd look so beautiful!"

"No," came Lily's immediate answer. "I wanna see baseball!"

Daphne sighed. Her daughter was only three, but she certainly knew how to speak her mind.

David smiled, seeing his mother's frustration. "Grandpa called earlier and said he's got tickets for a Mariners' game, and he wants to take us. That's _all_ she's been talking about ever since."

"Oh. Well, all right then," Daphne said, trying her best to hide her disappointment. Martin was always spoiling the children. It was his right as a grandfather. He never failed to point that out whenever he was asked. Daphne was grateful the children would have family in Seattle besides her and Niles. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remember that.


	2. Chapter 2

That night, in bed, Daphne tried to lose herself in the romance novel she was reading. It was an old favorite, but still, she got swept up in the story, no matter how many times she'd read it before. But not tonight.

Niles heard his wife sigh. "Something wrong, my love?"

Daphne knew she couldn't lie. Niles had spent years studying her. He could read even the subtlest change in her emotions. "It's just Lily. When I was just a bit older than she is, I would've _killed_ to be able to dance for real. But of course, we never had much money. And what little we did have either went to dad's pub, or to me brothers."

"I know you had a rough childhood," Niles said. "But that's in the past now."

"I know. And I'm so grateful for where we are, believe me. But is it so wrong that I wanted to see her up on that stage? It would be like me childhood dream was finally coming true."

"As a parent, it's only natural to want to live out one's fantasies through a child. But steering them in a direction they don't want usually only leads to conflict and anger."

"You're right," Daphne sighed in disappointment. "I suppose I was also thinking of another dream of mine. One that actually has come true."

"What dream is that, my love?" Niles thought he knew all there was to know about his wife. It amazed him that, after so many years, there could still be more to discover.

"Going to a fancy ball. You gave me that. For that one night, I felt just like a princess."

Niles slipped his hand into hers. "I felt like the luckiest man in the room. Holding you in my arms was heaven on earth. It didn't matter that I was going through a bitter divorce, or that my so-called 'friends' were talking about me behind my back. I had you, and it was all I ever wanted. It still is."

Her eyes suddenly damp, Daphne leaned over and kissed him for a long moment. "If I'd known then that we'd end up here, I wouldn't have said what I did. I know now that you weren't acting."

"I was hurt. I'll never deny that. But it was also the greatest night of my life. I chose not to dwell on the heartbreak."

"I'm glad. I just wanted Lily to have that experience for herself. I know that makes me a terrible mum, but..."

"You are _not_ a terrible mother," Niles said immediately. "You're just human. Look at Dad. He tried as hard as he possibly could to share sports with me and Frasier. It didn't work. It took a very long time, but he's learned to accept us. We have two wonderful kids, Daphne. I think we should let them be themselves, no matter how much it hurts."

Daphne put her arms around Niles. Even that simple gesture warmed her heart beyond words. "How did you ever get to be so smart?"

"Well, I got a lot of it from growing up around Frasier. And going to some very prestigious universities didn't hurt. But, if you ask me, the main reason is that I once met a beautiful, kind woman who taught me that there is more to life than books and stuffy operas. She changed my life, and I'll never be able to thank her enough."

"You're right, Niles," Daphne said, after wiping tears from her eyes, yet again. "The way we got together wasn't exactly perfect, but it still turned out well enough. And if David and Lily don't exactly follow our plans, they'll probably still end up happy. That's all that matters, right?"

"I think that may just be the wisest thing you've ever said." He kissed Daphne on the cheek. Even the simplest gestures could thrill him, as he often remembered the years when he couldn't even do that. Without a word, Niles put his arm around her, and they pulled the covers up.

As Daphne drifted off, she realized that Lily would likely never be a world-famous ballerina. But it didn't matter. All she really wanted for her daughter was happiness. What more could a mother ever want?

 **The End**


End file.
